CBS News/ April 6, 2011, 8:19 AM

Beaten Giants fan may have brain damage

Undated image provided by Bryan Stow's cousin, John Stow, shows Bryan holding his 12-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter.

Undated image provided by Bryan Stow's cousin, John Stow, shows Bryan holding his 12-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. / AP Photo/John Stow

Doctors say a San Francisco Giants fan brutally beaten by a pair of fans of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers outside Dodger Stadium after the season's opening game Thursday may have suffered brain damage.

A $100,000 reward is being offered for information on the savage attack on Bryan Stow, a 42-year-old paramedic and father of two, from Santa Cruz.

Stow was in a medically-induced coma.

And, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy, his family is speaking out for the first time.

Ann Stow, his mother says she "got a call ... that Bryan went to a Dodger game and there was a fight and he's been hurt. And our lives changed."

"Both of (the assailants) pushed Bryan from behind," says Stow's brother-in-law, David Collins. "He never saw them coming. And Bryan fell forward and hit his head on the concrete and was immediately knocked unconscious."

But the beating, says Tracy, went on, and police say a crowd of more than 100 watched before paramedics on bicycles came to Stow's rescue.

Even before the attack, Stow texted family members that the atmosphere inside the stadium was scary compared to home games in San Francisco.

"The safety is not the same," says John Stow, Bryan's cousin. "It's definitely not the same. We knew that, Bryan knew that going into it, but I don't think he could ever imagined that it would be like this."

The Dodgers have turned over surveillance tapes and are working with police to try to catch the two suspects.

"Brian was a wonderful father and a great person," an emotional John Stow said, "a man who's dedicated to helping people and saving people's lives."

Bryan's mother, Ann added, "It's hard to see him in bed like that, because he was sooo funny, and now he just lays there."

Stow has a long recovery ahead, Tracy observes. Doctors say they removed part of his skull to reduce swelling, but any brain damage may be permanent.

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
39 Comments Add a Comment
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boosted_socal says:
You want to fix the problem? Outlaw Mexicans from Dodger games, period. They are obviously primate ingrates that cannot control themselves. Oh but no, let's keep our borders open, give them free healthcare and stick the tax paying law abiding citizens to foot the bill for all their anchor babies.
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tuathadedannan says:
Sports really does build characters
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zunitribe says:
Sounds like your typical Bay Area sports crowd.
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rnrstar replies:
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Dodger Stadium is not in the Bay Area, idiot.
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garagehero says:
What I cant figure out, is what happened to his so-called friends? And why didnt anybody else step up and help this guy. I've gotten my butt kicked several times defending total strangers, but I've probably saved a few lives as well. I think the Dodgers should provide zero-tolerance, more security, and undercover LAPD coppers walking among the fans.
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SoCal_Gridlock says:
Typical of CBSNews.com to withhold a key fact: Hispanics did this. Their composite sketches released by the police appear on other websites, but not CBS. What's the problem, CBS? By withholding the truth you may have lost the chance of somebody identifying the cowards and bringing them to justice. I guess being "PC" is more important.

My dad and grandfather took us kids to Dodger games all the time and it was great. However, though still a Dodger fan, I have stopped going to the games because it's just plain too dangerous.

Why? One word: Hispanics.

And for those of you who think I have too much hate in me, you're right. I HATE not being able to go to games because of these idiots. You might call staying away from Dodger Stadium because of hispanics racism or intolerance. I call it keeping my family safe.

Note to CBS: Post the sketches of the two hispanic pieces of garbage who did this and help catch these creeps. Quit avoiding the truth in name of political correctness.
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youbrew12 replies:
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Well said. I am non-anglo, spent a year in Central America, and speak Spanish, sister married to a latino, but I know what you are talking about. It's not right to exclude the sketches of who did this, be they anglo, negro, latino, whatever. The kinds of cowards who would attack someone from behind need to be caught and jailed. Sign me a lib who sees too many American's jailed for smoking pot, and not enough jailed for doing something like this. These are the true criminals. Lets catch them.
garagehero replies:
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Sheesh...You sound like a hysterical teabagger. I dont think they are being PC. Its no secret they were hispanics, and I dont think any of the readers is in ignorance of that fact. But you seem to be branding, and with some relish, I might add, all hispanics with this crime. You know, for a very long time the main source of drunken brawls at Dodger stadium were drunken WHITE fans from the San Fernando Valley, and they make up a large percentage of those types. When it comes to stadium thugs, the color of the perp is pretty much irrelevant. You've got a lot of growing up to do.
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documemts says:
Professional ball sports attract morons. When the LCD are a part of the crowd at these "events" then why bother to go to them? Most people are blind mice. They refuse to understand what they are seeing around them. I wish him the best for his recovery.
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macintrance says:
That is why I prefer to watch the game at home; save a lot of money and avoid the headaches.

I hope he has no permanent brain damage.
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tammydel2009 says:
For those people who stood by & watched this. How would you feel if it was your brother, son, father or huband? Disgusting & Disturbing! That is the one's who assaulted this man & the bystanders who watched it happen without intervening! What is wrong with this world?
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alexander029 says:
2 friends and myself attended a montreal@boston hockey game in boston.these boston fans just harrsed us so bad we had to seek safety with other habs fans, security said their would be no problems. beer sloped on you, packets of ketchup and mustard sprayed on you. no problems eh. needless to say security just turned a blind eye. as for boston we will never go back to boston.we have traveled 600 miles to montreal to watch montreal/boston games and never ever bothered boston fans. its a game, sure you would like to see your team win but to beat some one up is crazy and a gutless act.
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notsofamousguy says:
Dogder organization is not fault free. They are at fault for allowing these riffraff to roam free and intimidate other stadium fans. Security is poor. I don't go to Dodger games anymore. They have become the Raiders of MLB. Low-life, rowdy punks causing trouble all the time.
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